We may be edging a little further back than that...say, Concord's North Bridge...
Posted on 02/15/2024 6:22:42 AM PST by george76
The House of Representatives have delayed a vote on reforming the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and Section 702.
“In order to allow Congress more time to reach consensus on how best to reform FISA and Section 702 while maintaining the integrity of our critical national security programs, the House will consider the reform and reauthorization bill at a later date,” Raj Shah, a spokesman for House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) stated on X.
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“Just as we were winning the debate on requiring warrants for domestic spying in the FISA 702 reauthorization, the Speaker yanked the bill and cancelled the rest of Congress this week,” Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) commented.
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“Suggestion: postpone consideration until never. The mechanism by which the corrupt FBI spies on innocent Americans and cooks up bogus hoaxes to rig our elections should never be reauthorized ever again,” The Federalist CEO and co-founder Sean Davis said.
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Section 702 of FISA gives the federal government the power to conduct warrantless spying on foreigners abroad and Americans they interact with.
Section 702 was set to expire at the end of last year, but Congress extended the expiration date into April.
The FISA extension was included in the passage of last year’s $886 billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
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“The Senate just voted to waive the point of order against the NDAA. 35 of us opposed the motion to waive. We needed only 41 to prevent this outcome, and to remove FISA 702 from the NDAA. This is not good. The House should stop the NDAA,” Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) said.
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“It was close in the Senate, but now it’s up to the House tomorrow to stop the reauthorization of warrantless spying on Americans,” Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) commented.
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"Our government invades Americans’ privacy without a warrant, using the FISA 702 program. That’s unconstitutional. Thursday, we will have a recorded vote on an amendment to reform this program so the feds will have to get a warrant to search US citizens’ communications," Massie said
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With the vote delayed, it's unclear when the House will reform the unlawful FISA 702 program.
"Very interested to learn about this threat. Also very interested to know why the spy guys are raising mysterious alarms right before we’re about to reform illegal domestic surveillance under FISA," Lee commented.
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Intelligence community abuse and the potential for gathering American information in the process has prompted some Republicans to seek reform. Section 702 was slated to expire at the end of 2023, though Congress temporarily extended it into April amid dueling reform proposals.
Both the House Intelligence Committee and House Judiciary Committee had drafted legislation to reform Section 702, with the Judiciary panel seeking more extensive restrictions on surveillance powers.
Advertisement The current legislation under consideration more closely resembles the Intelligence Committee proposal and has struggled to attract support from conservative privacy hawks who hope to include warrant requirements.
"Debate on the FISA 702 program and whether the government must get a warrant is happening in the @RulesReps committee now. @Jim_Jordan and Nadler are both testifying in favor of warrants. I’m posting this untrimmed video without captions so I can get it into the public quickly," Massie wrote.
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The office of Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., also sent out a notice that the bill is no longer expected to be considered this week. Without congressional action, Section 702 is set to expire April 19.
Section 702 allows the U.S. government to collect digital communications of foreigners located outside the country. But the program has been the subject of lawmaker concern because it also brings in the communications of Americans and allows the FBI to search through the information without a warrant. The agency can search through the data based on a single field, such as an email address.
The House last year, with lawmakers at odds on two bills that differ in how far to go to address privacy concerns, was unable to pass a longer-term reauthorization in December and instead approved a short-term reauthorization.
The House Judiciary Committee has advanced one bill, and the House Intelligence Committee has advanced another. On Monday, Republicans posted a new bill, which more closely resembles the Intelligence Committee bill, for consideration on the floor.
#AbolishFisa
“more time to reach consensus”
In other words, over half of these skunks are ok with spying on Americans without a warrant.
Sorry, if this gives skunks a bad name.
No need for FISA. The Constitution is very clear:
Fourth Amendment
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
Fifth Amendment
Amendment V
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
Sixth Amendment
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.
Yet more evidence that they’ve got the goods on congresscritters...
Um, no.
They nullified all 3 (among others) and we all collectively sat on our hands when we should have exercised extreme prejudice.
If we’re to have half a chance at saving the rest of them, everyone ought focus on the enemy within reach and just ignore this theater.
We may be back at the Declaration of Independence stage...
Well, you gotta remember, this was all part of the “Patriot Act” that bushie2 pushed through after 911.
I hated that so called act, and took a whole lot of grief from the folks here and my own family for it.
Look at it now.
Lesson learned...
Never, NEVER give the government any more power than the constitution grants it.
NEVER
Not sure sure this current crop of Republicans are the ones to steer FISA into reform, or to its complete dissolution.
FISA, after all, was meant to be a second check against FBI overreach, for its criminal investigations and surveillance techniques against Americans, by seeking the cover of a court judge, as the Woods Rule for verifying evidence.
We may be edging a little further back than that...say, Concord's North Bridge...
Some of us knew what it was before it was shoved down our throats, and after revelations exposed in A Good American it was clear that 9/11 wasn’t about islam, but about decimating the U.S. Constitution.
The terrorists were merely useful idiots (just like Congress).
You know, if I were the speaker Inwould say, nothing hits the floor od the house until the DOJ stops persecuting our nominee. No votes. Period
Maybe another Wuhan Flu Coup type event would finally push some to the final straw
In order to allow Congress more time to reach consensus.
What time does the bidding begin ?.
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